Shouldn't, Couldn't
by The Genius Mage
Summary: She shouldn't keep thinking about him, the bad thing was, she couldn't stop. NekuxShiki, JoshuaxShiki.
1. Flashes

_**An extra special thanks to James Firebrand! Your statements really encouraged me, (somehow), into making more Joshua and Shiki stories. Maybe I'll get fans for being sorta original?**_

_**This is connected to "Arts and Craftiness", and "Poisonous Snake", but you probably don't need to read it. I'm recapping.**_

Shouldn't, Couldn't

**Chapter One: **Flashes

_Sometimes she'd catch the flash of lavender eyes in the shadows._

_***_

It was one full year after the awkward incidents with Joshua.

One full year after the strange kisses, one full year after she "dumped" him…

_We were never together!_ She fumed silently to herself, stalking down the street, Mr. Mew still clasped tight in one hand. She would _never _get together with the guy who killed Neku, the guy who wanted to use other people and destroy and-

A flash of violet.

She whirled around, seeing someone across the street, eyes glowing in the shadows. She squinted, adjusting her glasses, but as soon as she did, a car passed in front of her.

The indigo vanished. Nothing but shadows.

_You're just paranoid, thinking about him. He has better things to do, as Composer of Shibuya, then stare at you!_

At least, she hoped!

Shiki kept walking down the street, shaking her head. She had lunch with her friends over at the WildKat, hopefully that'd stop her from thinking about him…

_You _think _about him? What's the matter with you?_

Another flash. She was sure she saw it. She looked behind her again, almost running into someone, but there was nothing there.

She took a deep breath, shaking her head again, and started back down the sidewalk. She turned onto a more obscure street, this one with less people, and looked at the clothes hanging in a boutique shop.

"That's _not _a good design." She muttered, looking away from a blue dress with white frills near the bottom. Even fashion, one of her passions, wasn't helping.

There was no one behind her and only an old couple in front of her, besides that she was alone on the street. If she followed this street she'd come out on the main-

She stumbled over a bit of torn concrete, holding Mr. Mew close, putting her hand out to catch herself before she ended up hitting the pavement and breaking her glasses.

Someone lightly grabbed her by her shoulders, steadying her and pulling her back up. Whoever it was pulled a little too hard, she stumbled backward into his arms, which closed around her waist.

"Consider looking where you're going." Someone whispered in her ear.

Shiki turned her head, looking in the reflection of the shop window.

Joshua.

She whirled around as soon as he let go, but when she did, no one was there.

***

"I'm telling you, I saw Joshua!" Shiki told Neku, sipping her drink furiously. The contents were draining dangerously fast. Rhyme's eyes widened and Beat tapped the table with his knuckles, loudly.

"You bein' serious, yo?" He asked.

"I'm _sure _I saw him! I'm not going to go around hallucinating Joshua!"

Eri stuck her tongue out teasingly. "Maybe you do." She said, stirring her drink.

Neku lowered his voice, leaning across the table to whisper, "Mr. H says _he's_ been really busy with the Game, and when _he_ isn't, _he_ doesn't come anywhere around here. The guy basically _lives_ in the UG now."

Shiki looked nervous. "So you think he's stalking me or something? I saw his eyes in an alley!"

Neku crossed his arms. "The guy better _not _be stalking you again!"

Rhyme said reasonably, "Maybe he was just in the area?"

"I really hope so! This isn't even funny!" Shiki groaned, hitting her head on the table.

Beat cracked his knuckles. "You just call me if he comes near ya."

"That's not necessary." Rhyme added uneasily. "Violence is never the answer."

Beat gave a booming laugh at that, and Rhyme sigh.

Eri winked at her friend. "_Shiki has a stalker_." She sang.

Shiki blushed, shaking her head. "I do _not_!"

"Look, if it bothers you, I'll come home with you." Neku said, pulling his earphones back up.

Shiki really hoped this wasn't going to be a repeat. Why was the guy so interested in her?

_What did he want?_ She thought, aggravated.

***

She walked home, grateful that Neku was coming with her. She was somehow sure that Joshua would've appeared again if she had walked home alone.

Shiki pulled out her cell phone, studying her contact list. She had removed _his _number after she "dumped" him, but she still remembered his address…

The big mansion…his half lidded eyes…

_Argh! Stop thinking about him!_

"You okay?" Neku asked, pulling down his headphones to hear her better. He didn't have much to say, usually, on their walks. She wasn't even sure if he was listening to her or drowning her voice out with his earphones.

"Yeah."

He scowled. "Don't let that pervert get you all paranoid."

"He better not be starting this crap again." Shiki grumbled as they reached her home. She paused to smile at Neku, he returned it back, and she went up the steps.

Shiki entered her home, read the note from her parents that they were out and would be back soon, and sat down to flip on the TV. She placed it on the design channel, her eyes riveted to the screen as she watched her idols. Now _that _was fashion! She hoped she and Eri would become that famous…

_Maybe that'll be me one day?_ Shiki asked herself, watching the designers work.

"I wouldn't be surprised."

She turned her head, and then leaped to her feet, because Joshua had just materialized on her couch, feet casually on the table.

"What-you-WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? Oh. My. God!" She made a shooing motion. "Go away!"

He smirked. "What, I can't say hello, even after it's been a full year?" He waved his hand, causing Mr. Mew to float to his grasp, and winked at her.

She dove for her precious feline, tackling the surprised Joshua, and snatched her cat from his grip.

Shiki froze, realizing that she was actually lying on top of Joshua, who was doing that annoying giggle he seemed fond of.

"Well, this is a better hello than I imagined." He said, smirking.

That was _it._

She was on the verge of hitting him when her parents came in.

"Shiki? Young lady, what do you think you're doing?" Her mother screamed.

Shiki leaped backward, almost falling over again, but _he_ grabbed her arm and steadied her.

"I-he-oh em gee! That's _his _fault!" She yelped, pointing to Joshua.

Her father glared at him. "Who are you?"

"No one." Joshua sauntered casually past her parents, and out the door.

"I forbid you to see that young man!" Her father shouted, her mother nodding agreement.

Shiki grabbed Mr. Mew, stalking to her room. "Fine by me!"

***

_**Hooray for the beginning to my first multi-chaptered TWEWY fan fiction. Review!**_


	2. Vanishing Act

_**Yeah. You can tell me in a review or something if you want Shiki to start liking Joshua, or to hate his guts. That being said…**_

**Chapter Two: **Vanishing Act

_He was like a magician, appearing and disappearing at will._

_***_

Shiki flopped down on her bed, arm over her eyes, ignoring the stuffed animals that had just fallen off.

_How does he do that? Just appear out of nowhere?_

She cracked open her eyes, annoyed, wondering if he was just in the UG smirking or something.

She wouldn't be surprised.

Shiki rolled over and grabbed her phone from her purse, which had just begun to ring. She flipped open the item, pressing the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" She grumbled.

"Are you okay? Is this a bad time, Shiki?" Eri asked, sounding surprised at her friend's annoyed tone, especially since Shiki was usually so upbeat.

"No, I'm _not _okay. Joshua just came to my house!"

"What?!"

Shiki had to hold the phone away from her ear briefly before lying back on her bed, sighing, causing a storm of static on Eri's end.

"I know! I'm going insane!"

"You shouldn't be."

For a moment, Shiki thought Eri had said it, then she turned her head and almost fell off her bed, since Joshua was sitting at the other end, smirking.

"Get out of my room, what are you, a stalker?!"

Suddenly, he vanished, the weight she had felt disturb the balance of her bed changed back to its even angle.

"Oh my God, was he just there? I think I heard a voice."

"Yes! He was! Eri, how am I going to do anything when I have _no clue _if he's here or not?!"

"You can always just do nothing." Eri said sarcastically. "Look, I don't even know Joshua that well, why don't you call Neku?"

"And get him yelling and all worked up, so the next time he sees Josh he'll kill him? _I'm _going to kill that pervert!"

"Oh, so he's _Josh _now?" Eri teased.

"Don't you start now! I get so angry just seeing him!"

"Oh, but you're so adorable when you're angry." Joshua said, reappearing at the end of her room, near the door.

Shiki grabbed whatever was nearest to her on her bedside table, so mad she couldn't stand it, and hurled it at Joshua.

He smirked, vanishing the next second, and the object slammed into the door and broke.

Realizing what it was, Shiki scrambled to her feet and picked it up from the ground.

"Oh no."

The picture inside was intact, the frame a slightly cracked, but the glass was broken into several little shards. The picture was one of her favorites, one from the carnival. Neku had taken the picture of the two of them, smiling, she had a cotton candy and he had a caramel apple, he was holding the camera at arm's length and giving her one of his rare, true smiles.

She gently slipped the picture out, grimacing because the frame was a gift from a relative, and carefully placed it and the picture on her desk.

"Shiki? Hello?" Eri said impatiently. Shiki grabbed her phone from her bed.

"Oh my God, he came back again! And I broke the picture frame!"

"What? What is _wrong _with that guy? Isn't he like…dead or something, from what you told me about the Game?"

"You mean I have a dead guy with an interest in me?!"

"You can hardly call the police on him." Eri said.

"I know where he lives…but yeah, something tells me it won't work."

"This is a little over my head. Call Neku, you might need to."

Shiki finally agreed, hanging up on her friend and speed dialing Neku.

He picked up on the eighth ring.

"Huh? Shiki? Didn't hear you over my music." He paused, probably fighting some scathing remark and losing, because then he said, "I had no idea you couldn't go one hour without talking to me." He sounded annoyed.

Taking a deep breath, Shiki rushed forward, bowling over Neku's questions and statements until she was finished.

Silence. Then:

"I'm going to murder that rat bas-"

"Wait, wait, wait, Neku! Is there any way to stop him from stalking me?"

"You'd have to ask Mr. H…if anyone has some kind of object that lets you see the UG, it's him. I'm going to find that pervert and-"

Shiki sighed, letting Neku rant and curse out Joshua and any relatives he might have had before he finally came to a stop. Neku's music choice reflected his mood, and she could almost hear the heavy metal blazing in his ears.

"Okay, we'll go talk to Mr. H tomorrow."

"Whatever. Shiki, if that jerk comes by your house again-"

Shiki yelped, surprised, as Joshua appeared again and snatched her phone. He pressed it to his ear, smiling, and said quickly,

"I'm already here, Neku."

Shiki snatched her phone back, and slapped Joshua across his face. He stared, and then smirked hugely before vanishing, but she was very glad to see the red mark on his face.

"Uh, call you later, Neku." She said quickly, hanging up as he started screaming and cursing again.

Shiki lay back in bed, sighing, dropping her phone on her carpet. She hugged Mr. Mew close, rubbing her forehead.

"Now what?"

She was very glad when Joshua didn't answer back, if he was even in the room anymore.


	3. Guardian Angel

_**Somehow this thing got set on "Complete", but it's not. This story isn't going to be over 'till it has like 4-5 chapters.**_

_*******_

**Chapter Three: **Guardian "Angel"

_She never stopped to think that his following her was a good thing._

_***_

Shiki was walking home from Eri's house, a messenger bag slung over one shoulder, full of designs she had to start on later. Mr. Mew was tucked under her arm, and she had a pair of earphones in her ears, which obscured all sounds.

The sun was going down, and the Shibuya streetlights clicked on, one after another. People still crowded the streets, but thinned out as Shiki neared the apartment complex with her home in it.

She kicked a stray soda can, which clattered loudly along the now silent street.

She didn't hear the can, didn't hear the patter of footsteps behind her.

They got faster; then, someone grabbed her roughly and hauled her around.

Shiki had to no time react, someone knocked her over, snatching her satchel and-

Someone grabbed Mr. Mew.

She rolled over; trying to get to her feet, but someone kicked her back down. Her glasses flipped off, clattering somewhere. She opened her eyes, everything was blurry, and the pain wasn't helping, watching someone tall and thick set run off with her bag.

And Mr. Mew.

_Who the hell steals a stuffed cat?!_

She could get her bag back; Eri even had copies of her designs. The money wasn't even that big of a deal, she didn't have a lot. No, the most important item was the stolen Mr. Mew. The fake feline plush was handmade, and could _not_ be replaced.

Was that her lack of glasses making her vision blur? Or tears?

She struggled to find her glasses, but even as she staggered to her feet, she knew it was too late.

Rain began to fall, clattering around her. She sank to her knees, hands clutching her face.

She felt angry, angry that she hadn't gotten up faster. But fighting here was different than the UG.

She took a deep steadying breath, ignoring her pounding heart. She had to find him. Somehow.

***

Shiki was back in her home at three in the morning, (she had never been gladder it was a weekend), and she had found no sign of the thief. Her parents had been angry, at first, for being out so late, but after hearing her story, they called the police.

Wasn't going to help.

Shiki went to her room, opening her door, and was met with the most welcome sights in the world.

One, her satchel was on her bedside table (wallet included), still full of the designs Eri had made. Two, the picture frame of her and Neku was fixed, the photo back inside.

And three, Mr. Mew was on the table.

Shiki gave a squeal of delight, the kind only girls can do, and she hugged her precious stuffed cat close. She sat like that for a while, just humming with happiness, tears blurring her vision, when she noticed the card.

It was a little white card, the handwriting so perfect and neat it looked like it was done by a computer.

_It figures, dear Shiki. The one night I have a Game to attend; you go and get stolen from._

Shiki smiled, placing the note back down. She looked back to Mr. Mew, and realized something. Around his neck was a glint of yellow.

The gold necklace. She and Neku had given it to a pawn shop after she "broke up" with Joshua. It was back, the obsidian pendant gleaming, good as new, if not better.

She hesitated, and then removed the necklace from around the precious cat, placing it on her own head.

"Joshua." She stated, knowing he was nearby. True to form, he materialized on her bed, exactly where she had been sitting at a moment ago. She wondered if she had been touching him and unaware of it, since he was in the UG, and RG objects passed through those inside.

"You called?" A cat's smile twisted his face.

"Thank you. For getting Mr. Mew back. And fixing the frame, and-"

"It was my _deepest _pleasure, Shiki dear." He paused, raising an eyebrow, and then he giggled.

"What?" She demanded. Her opinion of him had been changed slightly, since he had cared enough to go hunting for the thief in the dark, at unholy times in the night, but that didn't mean she was trusting him fully yet.

"Your thoughts. You're really warming up to me."

"_What? _We're not in the UG!"

"That means little to me, as Composer my powers work perfectly fine."

She paled. "You can't…can you?"

"Maybe. Maybe not." He giggled at her expression again.

_Can he really read minds?_

"Possibly." He replied.

"You-you guessed. Right?" Shiki really hoped he was bluffing.

Joshua just stretched, crossing his arms behind his head. "If that's what you insist, dear. Here." He handed her an envelope, and the puzzled Shiki took it.

She opened it, pulling out a picture of the pair of them, walking down the streets of Shibuya, like they did after the arts and crafts shop incident.

It was amusing, the annoyed look on her face, and the self-satisfied grin on his.

Very amusing. Cute, actually.

She smiled slowly, she couldn't help it. "When did you get this picture?"

"Ah, that's my little secret, Shiki." He stood up, turning his back on her, walking a little to the door. "I should go."

Shiki hesitated, looking at the picture again. "Joshua?"

He paused, his back still to her.

"Thank you. I mean it. And…don't be a stranger, okay? If you actually enjoy my company, stop stalking me and hang out with us. And try to use the door?"

She didn't see that triumphant grin that spread across his face, giving him a rather sinister expression.

"Do you mean that?" He inquired, his eyes glittering with silent laughter while he still didn't look at her.

"Of course."

"I'll take you up on your offer, then." He opened the door and closed it behind him. There were no footsteps down the hall, the Composer had gone.

Shiki leaned back, looking at the picture. She smiled slowly, pulled out a drawer on the desk, and removed a rather plain wooden picture frame, a spare one she kept.

She placed in the picture, and then set it beside the one featuring her and Neku. Then, exhausted, she turned off the lamp on her desk.

She snuggled Mr. Mew, but one hand curled up to hold the pendant on her necklace.

***

_**Yeah. That's right. Review!**_


	4. Unlikely

**Chapter Four:** Unlikely

_She couldn't believe he was growing on her._

_***_

She had forgotten completely about meeting with Neku to get something that might let her doing _something_ about Joshua.

Because she didn't have to do anything.

"What about this one?"

"Are you _insane? _And color blind?"

"Forgive me for not seeing the obvious atrociousness to fashion." He replied dryly, putting the white and red shirt back on the rack.

"You're forgiven, for now." Shiki teased, walking through the clothing store. "We'll find you something that fits, _and_ looks good on you!"

"Except, dear, you forget everything does."

She turned around briefly to glower at Joshua, and then went back to the rack. She couldn't stop the thoughts in her head.

_When did this happen?_

Somehow, she had found herself going on friendly visits to Joshua's manor, going to stores and cafés, and basically enjoying herself in the Composer's presence.

_Why?_

He had stopped _being creepy. _He giggled a lot, but he always did that. He was restraining from trying to hit on her lately, and because of that she found he was still annoying, but now she could stand to be around him.

"I think this dark shirt would look good on you." She informed him, snapping out of her thoughts.

Joshua took it, studying the fabric, the soft black material falling through his fingers. He raised his eyebrow. "Do you think so?"

"Yeah, I do. Even though…" She made a face, showing him the tiny pocket on the shirt. "I don't like that."

He giggled for some reason, but then again he always did, and she just stopped thinking about it lately.

She stuffed the shirt in his hands, moving on down the aisle. "I'm going to find some pants to go with that. You don't want anything with chains?" She showed him a pair of dark blue jeans with decorative chains hanging on the side.

He rolled his eyes. "Last time I checked, dear Shiki, I wasn't Beat."

"Okay, fine." She put it back on the rack. "Something…refined?"

Shiki paced down the aisle, Joshua leaned against the wall and watched her. His lavender eyes followed every movement she made. She was uncomfortably aware of this, and she looked up at him, only to blush again because he _kept giggling._

Finally, she came back, Mr. Mew tucked securely under her arm. She showed him a pair of white pants, simple but elegant, and a black belt.

"Better?"

Joshua smirked. "It's an improvement."

"Look, you're the one who wouldn't let me _make _clothes for you."

"And be covered in zippers, chains, or who knows what else?" He replied.

They spent some more time in the boy's clothing section of the mall, and then Shiki prepared to pay for it. She wasn't surprised when he didn't let her.

"Honestly, they're my clothes, Shiki."

They wandered the mall a little, eyes lifted toward the skylight, stopping at whatever stores they wanted to. Shiki insisted she'd pay for the food, at the very least, since he wanted to buy everything, for some reason.

Never mind how he even got the money.

For some reason, _every time_ she looked up at him, he giggled. He did it everywhere, and she had yet to find the reason. It was _very_ irritating, and his purple eyed stare wasn't helping.

Shiki had an affinity for mall pretzels, she had gotten Joshua some and they sat eating them.

"Is my makeup on wrong on something?" Shiki said sarcastically, after he had laughed again.

He blinked, smiling slowly. "No."

"Then what is it?"

He wiped his hands off with a napkin, still snickering. "Two things, actually. The thoughts in the minds of these around here…"

"You're bluffing, you can't read minds, right?!"

"…And your thoughts." He smirked. "It's so funny. I know where your thoughts are leading before you do. Every time you blush. It's so _very _funny. In fact, I'm tempted to play the world's smallest violin for you, since you obviously have yet to notice yourself."

"If you're going weird on me again, I'm leaving." She informed him.

"Aren't I _always_ weird to you?"

Shiki crossed her arms, pouting, toying with the cat pendant.

"Funny how at first you couldn't stand the sight of that pendant, now you touch it for reassurance. The action has become so absentminded you no longer think about the implications _behind_ the motion." He giggled again, leaning back in his chair. A smug cat's grin on his features.

"Whatever. I've got to go; I'm meeting Eri later today."

Joshua accompanied her down the mall pathways and out into the street. She didn't object, just squeezed Mr. Mew tighter, humming a tune to herself.

He must have been done being weird, because now he wasn't giggling for no reason. In fact, he looked pretty calm, his eyelids lowered.

"You're not about to go creepy on me again, are you?" Shiki said uneasily, remembering his last half lidded look at her.

He turned his head, eyes reflecting the light, obscuring them. "Possibly." He giggled again, and Shiki made a face and started racing ahead.

He easily kept up with her, muttering something about, "Noise in the area", but she wasn't bothered by that. Not really.

"Sup, Shiki?" A voice called from in front of her. She ran past them before skidding to a halt, turning back around.

Rhyme stared at her, then at Beat who had just grabbed Joshua by the collar of his shirt.

"Yo! You chasin' Shiki?" He demanded.

_Yeah, I guess it did look like I was running from him._

"No, he wasn't, Beat. Put him down." Shiki assured him quickly.

Beat cocked an eyebrow, and then growled, releasing the Composer who simply dusted himself off.

"Now, now, what was that for?" He inquired, giggling again.

Beat spat at Joshua's shoes before pointedly ignoring him, and instead said to Shiki,

"W'at was you doin', hangin' out with t'at creep?"

"I don't recall that being your business." Joshua said coolly, winking at Shiki, who narrowed her eyes.

"Bwaa! I don't rememba askin' you, yo!"

"It's a miracle you remember anything." He replied.

"Aight, fine, you jus' got a phone call, yo!"

Joshua, perhaps sensing something, took a step back. He couldn't use his powers in the street, but Beat sure could use _his _"powers".

"Oh, no, Beat-"Rhyme began, but it was too late.

"My board jus' called, it wants ta meet you, face ta face!" Beat kicked his skateboard up, grabbing it and preparing to attack Joshua with it, whom had just backed up some more.

"Beat, stop! People are watching!" Rhyme gently grabbed her brother's hand, and he paused to glare briefly at her. "Remember, when violence appears to mean well, it is only temporary. The pain it leaves is permanent."

Beat scowled, placing his board back down. "Don't want ta get my board dirty anyway, ya know?"

"That's the spirit!" She encouraged him.

"Whateva. We're out, yo."

Rhyme smiled serenely, and then nodded at Shiki and Joshua. "See you later."

She walked off, and Joshua smirked at Beat's back when he vanished too.

"Oh," Shiki said sarcastically. "Big bad Composer had to be saved by a little girl."

Joshua made a face, following her again as Shiki headed to her home to pick up the supplies she would need for Eri.

Her house was empty, her parents were at work, and she headed for her room, Joshua stayed in the living room.

"Help yourself to whatever if you're thirsty." She told him, rummaging in her drawers to find the cloth she needed, and then sticking it in her bag. Snatching Mr. Mew, she headed back out into the kitchen.

"…Joshua?" She looked around. Her living room was empty. "Must have had to get to a Game or something…"

Shiki was about to leave when suddenly she felt a pressure on her arm. She turned back around, annoyed, blushing again, to see Joshua smirking hugely.

"What-oh no." She whispered unhappily. Her heart pounded, because his eyes were half lidded again.


	5. Truth Revealed

_**Sorry about the late update.**_

**Chapter Five:** Truth Revealed

_It all made sense now._

_***_

"D-don't you start again!" Shiki pulled back, crossing her arms across her chest and holding Mr. Mew tight. He paused, eyes almost shining in the light, and then with obvious difficulty he pulled himself up straight.

"Shiki, dear, I know you want to ask a question, so I must insist you do."

She blurted it out before she could help it. "Why are you hanging out with me? _Me_ in particular?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked.

"_No._ I have two reasons, and I just hope….that you're not doing what I think you are."

"Which is…?"

"You…don't have a crush on me, do you?" She asked.

Joshua giggled, which quickly turned into laughter. Shiki felt herself turn bright red.

"If _that's_ not it, you're just using me, right?"

"Explain your reasons for that statement." His laughter had cut off unexpectedly fast.

"Well, you don't like me, so you must want to use me for the Game somehow."

"That is only about one third of the way true." He paused, but when she didn't react he continued. "I'm interested in your abilities in the UG, for reasons that should be obvious, given to the life you had bestowed upon your precious cat. However, I also have a certain degree of affection for you, since your upbeat personality is very amusing, and is a pleasant difference from those I am familiar with. Also, your thoughts are interesting to hear." Joshua studied his nails, speaking calmly. "Seeing how you interact to the things I do is also very intriguing."

"If you're just using me because I entertain you-"

His head shot up, and Shiki trailed off, staring into his violet eyes, which looked like smoldering embers. Was he angry?

"Yes, I'm very irritated with you." He narrowed his eyes now, and she found it hard to look away. "Shiki, dear, I value you very closely as a friend. Possibly, something more?" He smirked then, moving slowly closer.

"You have a weird way of showing it." She replied, flattening herself to the wall.

"Do I?" He inquired, smiled slowly. "See, that's what is so amusing about you."

"What?" She snapped.

"Do I intimidate you?"

Shiki considered this. Not really, she thought he was simply the world's largest jerk, but it was clear he meant no harm, at least at the moment. She found this all kind of amusing, but only if it was happening to someone else. Right now it was just confusing.

However…whenever he got that look…

"See, I do frighten you a bit."

"J-Josh, what do you want?" She asked, pointedly ignoring that last statement.

"Very well, dear Shiki. Would you be interested in joining the Game?"

"No." Shiki answered instantly.

"Why not?"

"I don't know what you're doing, but…you hardly ever mean well. You'd just use me."

"I'm shocked and hurt you think of me that way." He pouted slightly.

"You'll get over it." She pointed to the door. "Get out. I don't want to see you again!"

He actually looked surprised. "I thought we were friends, dear."

"We can _be_ friends, but you have a weird way of getting to the point. If you're done being creepy and wanting to use people, then come back. Because…friends don't use each other, Joshua."

He dipped his head, studying her through his ashen hair. "My my. I've forgotten that other part of your personality. Any other requirements I have to meet?"

"Be honest, too. That's really important in friendships."

His eyes laughed silently. "Honest? Shall I begin now?"

She nodded, hugging Mr. Mew, unable to believe he was actually listening.

"Remember that thief?"

She bobbed her head again.

"That incident was my fault. Honestly, dear, who would steal a stuffed cat? It was an associate of mine from the Game."

She remembered those terrible hours when she thought she would never see her precious stuffed feline again, and then how happy she had been with Joshua for giving her back her possessions.

Oh. My. God.

Why didn't she think of that earlier? Of course. He had set that up, trying to get close to her, in an effort to get her to join the Game…Because her powers were unique, and might work in other ways besides what she knew.

And, possibly, he wanted to spend time with her…?

Shiki gritted her teeth, tightening her grip on Mr. Mew.

"Get. Out."

"But I'm being _honest_, Shiki." He giggled again.

Shiki flung open the door so hard that when it hit the wall a photo fell off.

"Get out! Beat was right; I should never have trusted you!"

Was it her imagination, or was his eyes…hurt?

"Are you certain?"

Shiki turned around, scowling. "I don't ever want to see your face again, at least not for a while. I'm afraid I'm going to kill you if I do."

"Ah yes, I messed with the three things I should never have touched. One, Mr. Mew, two, your trust, and three, your friends, correct?"

She whirled around; preparing to yell at him again, but there was no one there.

***

Later on, Shiki dialed Neku's number.

"Shiki? _Where the hell_ have you been?"

"With Joshua."

"_What?_"

She quickly explained everything, about how Joshua apparently liked her _and_ wanted to use her, about how he had stolen her things just to make it look like he cared enough to get them back, and how he had compromised her trust.

"He was probably going to hold you captive or something and make us help him for whatever sick needs he wanted." Neku growled. In a quieter tone he said, "I thought he was better than that."

Shiki leaned back, closing her eyes and said before hanging up, "If he does this to people he likes, I feel bad for those he hates."

She removed her necklace, dropping it in her desk drawer, and then slowly flipped down the picture Josh had given her. Now that the anger had faded, she just felt worn out. She'd have to call Eri and tell her something...maybe that she was feeling ill?

That wasn't far from the point, actually.

Shiki said out loud, mostly to herself, but possibly to a certain Composer who might be lingering in the room:

"You were always so indirect, but maybe that's what I had liked about you."

***

_**End, for real now. Ha-ha. Be sure to review! ^_^**_


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